MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE) - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) defended its plan to close down 10 diplomatic posts this year due to budgetary constraints.
Foreign Affairs spokesperson Raul Hernandez said the DFA will realign its funds from the shuttered embassies and consulates into posts in the Middle East.
"DFA is closing down 10 foreign service posts due to budgetary constraints. We will devote our scarce resources to where they can achieve greater impact on our national interests," Hernandez said.
"We will realign our funds to beef up in our posts where there are more Filipinos in need of help like in the Middle East and where the potentials for economic diplomacy are greater to help out in the administration's twin goal of poverty alleviation and job creation," he added.
The DFA did not identify the posts to be closed.
However, an independent source said the embassies in Sweden, Ireland, Romania, Palau, Saipan, Finland, Venezuela, Cuba and consulates in Frankfurt and Barcelona have already received instructions to close. They were also instructed to inform their host countries of the closure of the embassies and consulates general.
The first batch of embassies will reportedly be closed by the end of July, while the second batch will be closed by October.
In recent weeks, the Filipino communities in those cities have been protesting the closure of the embassies.
A source said there was no consultation done with the concerned embassies and consulates, as well as the Filipino communities that will be affected by the closures.
"It doesn't make sense... There's no logic (to the closures)," the source said, noting the DFA claimed the posts being closed only cater to a small number of Filipinos.
However, the embassy will be closed in Ireland, where there are 26,000 Filipinos. In comparison, the posts in Hungary, Poland and Czech Republic, where there are only hundreds of Filipinos in each of those countries, will remain open, the source added.
Filipino communities in the affected countries have protested the DFA's planned closure. They claimed the closure of the foreign posts would mean additional expenses for them, since they would have to travel to Philippine posts in other cities or countries when they need to secure their passports and other documents.
Last year, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said it will close 12 of its diplomatic posts abroad to save on costs and focus resources in countries where Filipinos need assistance the most. He said the DFA has sent President Aquino a memorandum recommending the closure of the posts, which he refused to identify.
The Philippines has 94 embassies, consulates, and missions abroad.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/02/29/12/dfa-defends-planned-closure-10-foreign-posts
Comments